A new inquiry looking at the delivery and impact of a mission-led
Government has been launched by the Public Administration and
Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) today.
This inquiry will be the first in a series looking at the various
challenges which face the Civil Service when trying to deliver
the Government's agenda at a time of varied domestic and global
pressures.
The Government have set themselves five “missions”: growing the
economy, an NHS fit for the future, safer streets, opportunity
for all, and making Britain a clean energy superpower. Each
mission has measurable milestones, including ending hospital
backlogs and building 1.5 million homes in
England.
Cabinet Secretary, Sir , told the Committee a
mission-led government will help civil servants utilise a
“problem solving mentality” and break down departmental silos.
However, there has so far been little structural change to bring
this to fruition.
The inquiry will examine the extent to which departments and
public bodies are equipped to achieve these missions, including
how effectively they are set up to work on cross-cutting policy
areas. The Committee will also investigate how the missions'
delivery is likely to be funded amid a context of tight public
finances.
MPs are also likely to explore the impact of a ‘test and learn'
approach and how the Government plans to encourage this
process.
Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional
Affairs Committee, MP, said:
“All good Governments set themselves ambitious, achievable
tasks which push the capabilities of their ministers and civil
servants. The success of the ‘missions' will rely on effective
cross-departmental working and a culture which encourages civil
servants to take risks and learn. If they fail to do this, they
will soon find themselves with a legacy of broken
promises.
“This Government has staked its reputation on delivering the
missions but, as with all governments, they will have to find a
way to pull the right levers in departments. By putting catchy
sloganeering to one side, this Committee intends to shine a light
on how these will actually be delivered in practice.
“This inquiry is the first part of a broader piece of work on
how the Civil Service will deliver the ‘change' so often quoted
by senior ministers. If we are to take these claims seriously,
it's important to understand how civil servants will be mobilised
in this work.”
Terms of reference
The Committee invites written evidence answering any of the
following questions:
· What are the key components
of mission government? What changes have been made to the
operation of government to facilitate mission government and are
these sufficient to successively deliver it? Is enough being done
to ensure consistent prioritisation of missions across
departments? How are they being held to account for progress? Is
a change to the way money is allocated needed to ensure
sufficient priority is given to the missions?
· What measures are being
used to mobilise other devolved governments, public bodies, local
government, and the private and voluntary sectors in delivering
missions and are these sufficient?
· The Government has
advocated a ‘test and learn' approach to policy as part of its
missions approach. What is being done to encourage this and what
are the potential obstacles to its successful adoption?
· What lessons can be learnt
from other jurisdictions' experience with mission approaches to
governing?
Submissions can be made here. The deadline for
submitting evidence is 14 April 2025.
